A past chair of the Alberta Beef Producers has launched his bid for the Progressive Conservative party nomination in Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills.Acme-area farmer Darcy Davis confirmed last week he will be a candidate in the PC constituency race to fill the vacancy left by retiring MLA Richard Marz for the next provincial election.Davis, 50, has never held public office but brings a broad organizational background to the contest, having served as president for groups ranging from the Acme Ag Society to the Canadian Agri-food Trade Alliance, an advocacy body for agriculture and secondary exports.ìI guess my experience is a little more varied,î Davis said, pointing to his work at the national and international levels.Other boards he's sat on include the Canadian Cattlemen's Association (serving as finance chair) and the Agriculture Financial Services Corporation. He was elected chair of the Alberta Beef Producers in 2004 after chairing its government affairs committee.Despite his extensive background with farm organizations, Davis said representing agricultural interests is not the only aspect of serving the riding.ìWe have a lot of small businesses and medium-sized businesses in the area ñ oilfield businesses, ag businesses ñ and they have their challenges as well,î with the need for trained workers currently a priority, he said.As a ratepayer, Davis said, he is well aware of issues facing constituents and when asked to identify a key issue for the riding, he answered:ìPlanning. I know there's been some pressures in Mountain View County and Kneehill too. There's work to be done around planning. It has to be done at a local level but the province will have some input on it.îWith growth pressures likely to continue and contention surrounding transmission line projects, ìyou have to really consult with people for sure,î Davis said.Davis is the third candidate to put his name forward for the nomination, with former Mountain View County reeve and current Division 7 councillor Al Kemmere having announced the previous week and Carstairs accountant William Stevenson declaring in late June.ìI think it's healthy for the party and for the constituency to have a race,î Davis said. ìWe'll all be out there pushing our issues and I think that's very positive.îNo date has been set for the nomination meeting, which is expected to be held in late October or early November after the party selects a new leader.Contacted last week, Wildrose candidate Bruce Rowe said he agreed a nomination contest is a good process, but in his case, he added, two people decided not to file nomination papers before the deadline.ìThat's why I was acclaimed,î he said.Rowe, the mayor of Beiseker and an electrician by trade, said he ìwouldn't be surprised to see a couple moreî contenders for the PC nomination coming forward in the weeks ahead.
